Windows 11 Update KB5079473 Causes System Crashes and Installation Issues

Windows 11 Update KB5079473 Causes System Crashes and Installation Issues

First seen 14 Mar 2026, 13:55 UTC NeowinNotebookcheck 54.6

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After the release of cumulative update KB5079473 for Windows 11, users are experiencing severe issues including crashes, hard freezes, and installation failures. Reports indicate that affected systems are encountering BSODs with error codes such as ATTEMPTED_WRITE_TO_READONLY_MEMORY (0xBE) and 0x80070306. Users have noted that the update leads to reboot loops, graphical glitches, and loss of functionality in applications like Office and Outlook. Despite these widespread complaints, Microsoft has not acknowledged any known issues on their support page. An emergency hotpatch, KB5084597, was released shortly after to address a separate network security flaw, indicating ongoing concerns with Windows updates. The issues primarily affect users of Windows 11 versions 24H2 and 25H2. Microsoft encourages users to report their experiences via the Feedback Hub to help identify patterns and prioritize fixes.

Key Points: • Windows 11 update KB5079473 is causing crashes and installation failures for many users. • Microsoft's support page currently states no known issues with the update despite user reports. • An emergency hotpatch KB5084597 was released to address a separate security flaw.

Timeline

2026-03-10
Release of Windows 11 cumulative update KB5079473
2026-03-12
User reports of crashes and BSODs begin appearing
2026-03-14
Emergency hotpatch KB5084597 released to address security flaw